Angel Cross: Binding Darkness

Chapter 1.2: Monsters Rising

Screams pierced their ears. The humans and the digimon froze. Without a second thought, all of them raced down the street to find the source. On the way, Takeru couldn't help but think how convenient the situation was, but honking cars of impatient drivers drowned out the thoughts of teasing Davis about it. Crowds seeped between cars and along the sidewalks towards them. Davis, Miyako, and Takeru pulled themselves onto one of the parked cars just as the crowd raced away.

Takeru peered farther down the street in hopes of seeing the multiple Godzilla—or possibly rogue digimon—coming their way, but all he could see was a mass of dark colors farther down the road. He looked to his two friends and their digimon, all four preparing to go into battle.

"Man, maybe I should open my mouth more often when it comes to attacks," said Davis with a mild frown. Sarcastic or not, Miyako shot him a frown as she closed her d-terminal.

"I sent a message to the others. We'll hold them off until everyone gets here," said Miyako, pulling out her red digivice and pocketing her d-terminal.

"With any luck, we'll take care of the majority before they arrive," said Takeru, pulling out his own. He grimaced as he looked to Patamon, resting on the hood of the car. The last wide-scale digimon invasion had created loads of property damage and shaken feelings for the digidestined. Takeru braced himself with a frown as he looked over to the digidestined. "So, are you guys prepared to—?"

"I'm not sure if we have much of a choice," responded Davis before Veemon digivolved into a larger version of himself with a pair of silver wings. The maroon-haired boy exchanged looks with his digimon.

"You ready to go?" asked the digimon.

Davis pulled out a pair of goggles from his backpack. "Let's kick some ass, ExVeemon," responded Davis, snapping them on.

The boys looked over to the lavender-haired girl and the evolved Hawkmon. She pushed up her glasses and gave them a stiff nod. "We gotta do what we gotta do...right, Aquilamon?" The bird nodded grimly before Miyako boarded his back.

Takeru gave them an encouraging smile. After Patamon digivolved into a golden-armored pegasus, the three took off. As the digimon continued flying, the panicking crowd thinned and the strange black outline against the horizon formed into a small army of strange creatures. Mentally, he blocked out the raging questions like "Where was the warning?" and "Who was this new enemy?" with statements like "Maybe we won't be able to take care of many of them."The blond gritted his teeth and strengthened his grip on his companion's mane.

From the front ranks, a magenta creature zoomed towards them, scattering the digimon just as it shot past. The roar and stinging of the harsh winds as Pegasusmon fought to rebalance himself drowned out the faint familiarity of a black and red crest.

By the time the winged horse digimon regained his balance, the other digimon and their partners had disappeared from sight. The only indication Takeru had on where they went was based on the direction of the wild battle cry and the responding shouts for Davis to stop. Takeru looked back to the horde of creatures, now marching several yards under them. The blond squinted down at them as they passed under them.

"Pegasusmon, I don't recognize any of these digimon."

"I don't think they are digimon."

The blond's features grew grim as he thought about the dream he had earlier. A chill ran down his spine. Takeru gripped handfuls of Pegasusmon's mane with clammy hands. After a second, Takeru leaned into the digimon's neck and said, "Let's do this."

Cold wind bit into the blond's face as Pegasusmon dove towards the horde of creatures and showered them with shooting stars. The creatures disappeared in wispy smoke upon contact with the shimmering stars. Takeru buried his face back into the digimon's mane. "It looks like you're right...but what are they then?"

Pegasusmon didn't answer as he continued bombing the strange creatures with stars. After a quarter-mile, the two rounded back and met their comrades.

"So they're—" began Miyako.

"Not digimon." Takeru looked at the small army. He paused. "I'm...not sure if this is the first time I've seen them?"

The other four looked at him, unsure by what he meant. "We'll figure that out once we've taken care of them," said Davis. He adjusted his goggles before glaring down the creatures with a smirk. "Whatever the hell you are, you've entered the wrong dimension! Let's go!" He and ExVeemon tore off again.

Miyako pressed her face into her hands. With a smile, the blond urged Pegasusmon after the maroon-haired boy and the lizard digimon. Aquilamon and Miyako followed soon after. As the lizard digimon and the horse digimon bombed the ground-based troops, the eagle digimon shot down any of the aerial creatures. All disappeared in the same wispy smoke.

As minutes passed and more of the creatures appeared, Takeru felt his blood run cold. Thoughts of a never-ending stream of the dark beings echoed through his mind, but he bit it back and focused on where his friend had disappeared to.

The maroon-haired boy had somehow decided changing to a ground tactic would have been a better idea. Takeru groaned and pointed towards their comrades. "Pegasusmon, there!"

"Already on it," replied Pegasusmon. He banked right and raced after ExVeemon and Davis, just as a horde of the flying creatures dove at them. With a shout of Equis Beam, green beams shot at the creatures. Most disappeared in smoke, obscuring Davis and Veemon. Takeru gritted his teeth as Pegasusmon dashed into the remaining thicket of the creatures. The pegasus showered the dark beings with needles from his mane just as Raidramon raced out of the smoke.

"Hey, TM! Be careful where you aim that!" shouted Davis. Takeru wouldn't have been too surprised if the digidestined was waving a fist at him. The blond swallowed back a response about watching his own ass.

Pegasusmon kept with Raidramon strides, covering Davis and Raidramon as they sent out electrical attacks to take care of small groups of the creatures. Pegasusmon shot at any flying creature that got too close to either of them. Meanwhile, Takeru kept an eye out for any attacks from behind and occasionally checked to see how Miyako and Aquilamon were fairing. When he saw them having move to a higher ground, he smiled and gave her a thumbs up. Then directing his attention back to what was in front of Pegasusmon.

Two creatures dressed in matching red cloak and wizard hat flanked Davis and Raidramon. Pegasusmon shot an Equis Beam at them. A blue shimmering around the mage-creatures redirected the attack at a horde of smaller ones, all disappearing in smoke. The mages turned to Pegasusmon and Takeru rushed at them, shooting fireballs at the two.

Pegasusmon leaned to the side as the magical attacks passed under his wings. Takeru exhaled momentarily, until he noticed a bolt of white energy fly at them. Pegasusmon bank left and climbed upwards in a spiraling motion to dodge other ones. Takeru clung to Pegasusmon's neck and torso, burying his face into the digimon's mane to protect his face from the burning cold wind.

A loud crackling of flames and a pained whinny pierced the blond's ears. In Takeru's grip, Pegasusmon recoiled and jerked about. The boy's stomach clenched as they fell from the sky.

Pegasusmon managed to slow their descent in the same way they climbed to land safely on the road. Takeru adjusted himself as the horse digimon awkwardly galloped away and the smell of burning feathers and fur made him gag. As the digimon slowed his pace, the blond dismounted and helped Pegasusmon along until he devolved into Patamon. Takeru caught the small digimon and asked, "Patamon, you okay?"

Patamon extended his head-wings, both a little blackened and smelling faintly of burnt fur. "I think so..."

Takeru exhaled a grateful sigh.

A small black creature appeared at his feet. It stared up at Takeru with dead eyes, causing the blond to freeze for a second and grip his partner closer to his torso. The creature looked almost harmless. Cute, even; almost like some plush a bunch of school girls would buy. But the creatures yellow eyes burrowed into the two. Takeru's hands sweated, feeling strangely empty without the strange weapon he had wielded in his...This isn't the dream, he told himself trying to control the bubbling in his stomach.

Takeru bolted away. He raced down the street until his lugs burned with every breath and his legs wobbled with every step. He only found more of the strange creatures. So, he took to zipping in between cars and the creatures to avoid any stray attacks or cars flung his way.

Eventually, he collapsed into a side street with the entrance partially hidden behind an overturned bus. His throat dry and voice crackling with every attempt he made to call for Miyako and Davis. He peaked out at the street beyond the overturned bus, clutching Patamon closer to him with shaking hands.

More of the creatures stalked down the street.

His legs shook as he stood. He hobbled back several feet as the smaller creatures stalked their way over to him, peering at him with their empty eyes. They knew he'd would be easy to catch, but damn if he'd make it quick. Takeru gulped back a lungful of air and prepared to run, even as his legs threatened to collapse on him. Run, at least until he and Patamon were a safe distance away to call the others from a payphone. He kept backing up until he bumped into something organic. He jumped a step forward and spun around to see whatever new creature had cornered him.

Instead, it was a pale, silver-haired boy maybe a year older than Takeru and dressed in bright clothes inappropriate for late January weather.

The stranger examined Takeru and Patamon and then the oncoming horde. He frowned, extending his hand. In a burst of shadows, a sword in the shape of a dragon wing appeared in his hand. "Jez, these things are still out there?" the silver-haired boy muttered. "Hey, get yourself and that thing out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can."

Takeru nodded before raising to his feet. With a quick word of thanks, the blond staggered past the stranger and to the other end of the street. He paused to catch his breath. Where did he come from? Takeru shook his head and continued, eyes focused ahead on on-coming creatures—Heartless, the words rung in his head. Instead, he began inching his way on an altered course to keep a distance between him and some of the bulkier Heartless.

Takeru gritted his teeth, swearing under his breath. "Where is everyone else?"

"Hey, Takeru...I think I still have some of Azulongmon's power left," Patamon said.

"No," Takeru pressed. "You're hurt." He quickened his pace at the sight of a few of the mage-like creatures. "We just have to wait until we get closer to the others." A light bubbling rose in his stomach.

"TK, it's not a major injury. I can fight now."

But Takeru ignored Patamon. When Patamon almost squirmed his way out of Takeru's arms, the blond finally stopped. "Okay, Patamon, but we'll use It when we're closer to the main part of the army." He cradled Patamon in one arm as he took out his digivice again. Patamon leaped out of the digidestined's hands and landed on his feet. In a burst of light, the small digimon evolved into Pegasusmon. Takeru scrambled onto his partner's back.

Pegasusmon galloped his way back the side street they had exited from, only to stop upon seeing the stranger they had left behind racing towards them. Behind him, there were stray balls of fire flying in all directions. The silver-haired boy shouted for them to turn around. The stranger boarded the digimon's back and shouted, "Go!" And the horse raced off.

Any of the Heartless creatures that got too close were either taken care of by a slash of stranger's blade or by an Equis Beam from Pegasusmon's helm. The digimon rounded a corner to the main street, only a handful of yards from the front line.

"What are you doing?" The silver-haired boy leaned around and stared at the horde.

Takeru looked over at the others to see where his friends were. Paildramon shot bullets at most of the Heartless as they advanced, making sure they never broke a ten foot distance. Miyako and Aquilamon supported them from behind, zipping to meet any of the flying Heartless.

"Davis, Miyako, Ken!" shouted Pegasusmon. Takeru waved his arms, beckoning them to come towards him.

The digimon backed up, shooting bullets and energy rings at the Heartless to keep the distance. Ken and Davis climbed down from Paildramon's back and rushed to the three.

"TK, where did you end up running to? If it wasn't for Ken here, I'd—Hey, who's caution-tape yellow?" Davis tilted his head at the silver-haired boy, but the said boy was too busy gawking at the large digimon to notice.

"Where were those when...?" he began, but Takeru cut him off.

"We're going to take care of them really quickly," said Takeru, slipping from Pegasusmon's back. He waved off questions about his hoarse voice. The silver-haired boy also dismounted after snapping his attention away from Paildramon and Aquilamon. Pegasusmon devolved back into Patamon. The silver-haired boy's "How did-?" was cut off when the little gerbil digimon evolved into MagnaAngemon.

The angel digimon rose up into the sky as Takeru called for everyone to back up just a short distance. As they did that, MagnaAngemon drew an outline of a circle several yards in diameter. The circle turned into a stone slab as MagnaAngemon backed away, hovering just above the rest of his friends.

Everyone gave Takeru odd looks as he smirked.

When the slab opened up, the wind howled into the opened gate, swallowing Heartless, broken glass, and any litter from the street. By the time the portal closed up, most of the creatures were gone.

MagnaAngemon floated down to them, glowing and shrinking into Tokomon. Takeru staggered over to pick up his partner as the others gazed at empty streets. "Looks like you used quite a bit of power." He chuckled.

Tokomon smiled back, showing it's massive teeth. "I'm just not going to be able to use it again for a few weeks if we're lucky."

"Well, that's too bad," mumbled the silver-haired boy, "because those things aren't going to be stopping anytime soon."

The four digidestined and the four digimon gave him odd looks. "Aren't you a little cold in that?" asked Miyako.

The addressed looked down at his lack of sleeves before shrugging. "It might be the adren—" His hands then flew to his arms and he trembled, muttering curses to himself about the worst places to end up.

"Wow, he's dumb," muttered Davis to Miyako.

"Well, I-I'm not used to being shoved to new Worlds," stammered the silver-haired boy, shooting the maroon-haired boy a small frown. He looked up at the sky. "Wh-what world is this?"

The group exchanged looks. Takeru shrugged before looking back at the stranger. "Well, we all have questions, so let's begin heading back before more of those creatures show up."

The stranger nodded. Ken offered the silver-haired boy a sweater before they all took off to Takeru's and Miyako's apartment building.

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So, this part played out a little differently than the original draft. Things that includes are: Miyako's appearance in the battle, Ken's arrival at the end, and Riku's introduction. My favorite of the changes is hands down Riku's introduction. While it appears more random, it's a reasonable way to follow up with the randomness of being shoved into a new world. Not to mention my own mental image with Riku running away with the biggest "nope" face ever with an over-dramatic burst of flames behind him.

I should note, the kids are not going to middle school in Odaiba, but rather in Minato. According to information I could find on the location of real world locations, people have guessed that TK, Iori/Cody, and Miyako/Yolei are actually really close to their elementary school (and possibly the middle school given how the fictional Odaiba Elementary School is based on the Koyo Elementary and Koyo Junior High?).

As everything is shaping up, chapter one should be eight parts.